Broken Wings

Chapter 36: I Love Her

"I was thinking back to where we started." - Miley Cyrus

Luke

I had a huge problem with controlling myself.

Especially lately.

Especially with Sasha.

I stroked her hair as she fell asleep in my arms later that night. The time ticked away and I still couldn't sleep. When the clock hit twelve at midnight, I crawled out of bed and decided to go for some fresh air. The whole house was quiet as I made my way out.

Slipping on my shoes, I treaded out into the night. I took I longer walk than I intended to. But it was a perfect night to clear my thoughts.

I had huge plans for her birthday tomorrow that I had intended to do today if it weren't for me in the first place.

Then, a sudden question popped in my head.

How did Robert know where they lived?

I remembered Ms. Grey telling me she never even told him they had left Bar Harbor.

In two days, we would find out.

Things were going great when I first met Sasha. If I had never agreed to move back to Los Angeles with my family, maybe none of this would've happened.

But now things were going from bad to worse. From worse to much worse.

I had to do something that would stop.

It seemed like every time I was with Sasha, something bad would always happen.

Was being with her a good idea at all? When all I did was cause trouble? She deserved way better, right? But then why did loving her feel so good? And so bad when I was without her?

Think before you act or speak.

Life never seemed to give me a chance to, and even if it did, I would always be too late.

"Hey, Luke." A female voice shouting almost made me jump.

My head turned to where the sound was coming from.

Alexandra, one of Sasha's friends, came running up to me from behind me.

"Hey, Alex." I grinned. "What are you doing outside at midnight?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Uh, the usual. Complications."

I always liked Alex. She supported everyone.

I'm not exaggerating. She loves helping people, even if the rest of us had a lot of hatred toward another person.

"You okay? Jordyn called us and told us what happened."

Of course she did.

"I'm fine," I lied. Almost.

"Where's Sash?"

"She's sleeping."

She sighed. "I've always wanted to know how you guys met. You two are so lucky to have each other."

I spotted a park ahead of us.

"I'll tell you about it." I gestured toward the park.

"Sure."

We sat down on the bench and I began. "When I turned around, our eyes met instantly.

"It was right there and then that I knew she was something I had never seen before. She was something new. Everything about her was different from everyone else.

"She says her eyes are blue. But they're not. They're more. When I first looked into those eyes, I saw the specks of gray sparkle in her eyes as she stared at me with confusion and curiosity.

"She says her hair is brown, but they're not. Hiding underneath her brown hair, there are streaks of blonde. But it was her eyes that caught my attention first.

"I could almost see through her eyes. She looked lonely and sad. And her eyes were telling me that she was in need for someone. Someone who was willing to help her, be there for her, hold her and want her. And something told me that she wanted me, even if she didn't try to show it."

Alex didn't once interrupt me as I told her my love at first sight experience. Maybe I was exaggerating but that's what it felt like.

"It was in a history class when we first saw each other," I told her. "And biology class when I first spoke to her, and let me tell you, she was one stubborn girl.

"But when we actually met, it was in a hospital. She got choked by Chris and his stupid friends and if I hadn't been outside of my house at that moment, she wouldn't be alive today.

"She seemed to hate me at first. She hated that I was helping her. But I could tell she wasn't used to being cared for that much, not even by her mother."

I respired a breath. "I hated that she thought of me being just like Chris was back then. It was simple to make her like me. But only as a friend, nothing more. But when she called it quits between us, she told me to go back to hanging out with Chris and his old group of guys like I did on my very first day of that school.

"I knew she only said that so she could try to hate me all over again. She tried to look happier without me, but I saw the hint of sadness in her eyes. We stayed apart for about a month until something happened that if I didn't make my move quick enough, I knew I would lose her completely.

"If I hadn't been awake that night, she wouldn't be alive today."

I felt Alex's hand on my shoulder.
"You saved her life so many times, Luke," she said softly.

I could feel the cry in my throat. "But I've ruined her life in so many ways, I don't even know if I'm good for her at all."

"Without you, Sasha would be dead," Alex explained. "She wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you. We all know that you would rather much want the life you have with her now than rather have her dead. Don't go overthinking things, Luke. I can see it between you two when you're together. It's true love."

I nodded, feeling a droplet of tear in my eye.

"We all make mistakes we can never go back and fix even if we try."

I nodded again, not sure what to say.

"Now go back home and tell her how much you love her when she wakes up, alright?"

A half-smile crossed my lips. "Thanks, Alex."

Already missing her out of my arms, I eagerly walked back home.

It was strange to call her place my home at first. But now that I knew I was officially living there with the girl I'll only ever love, it felt like home.

With Sasha.

Damn, how was loving her so easy and hard?

She was easy to love because I knew how to make her fall for me more everyday, hard because you make one mistake, her word's will cut deep through your heart as a knife as sharp and thin as a paper cut.

The house was it's usual quiet when I creeped back up to where Sasha was sleeping.

I was about to crawl into bed when I suddenly noticed something was missing.

No.

Not again.

Someone was missing.

She was missing.

Sasha was missing.

Again.